Abbey Who?
by pondwinoswald
Summary: (This is the first story I've written so I hope you can look past the writing) Abigail is a girl who stumbles upon the TARDIS and begins travelling with The Doctor, but The Doctor seems to know things he's not telling her. He thinks he finally knows who she is, but there's a lot more he doesn't.
1. Chapter 1

**The first chapter is a mess but I wanted to cut out some of the "Oh my God this isn't real" because I know that can be boring. And don't worry, the seemingly pointless parts I include in this chapter (and probably future chapters) will make sense in the end. And yes, I know my pacing is rubbish.**

* * *

CHAPTER ONE:

There hadn't been any fireworks for a while. I should probably head in and pretend to be asleep for when Ms Robinson got back. I poked my head back inside and checked the clock. It was almost two, she'd be heading home in about two hours. Or a day. I was hoping for a day. It would be a fantastic way to start the year.

I gave the sky one last glance and started for the door. Only when I had my foot through the door did I realise what I'd seen – _thought_ I'd seen. I dashed back to the balcony and looked to the snow covered ground below. I was right: out of the corner of my eye I'd seen a blue box on the ground. A POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX to be exact. What the hell was that? And when did it get there? It was probably wheeled over when I'd went in for an hour to watch telly. I saw two possibilities a) new government thingy for calling the police which was overshadowed by the new year or b) a snog box for a police themed New Year's party. Either way I wasn't too interested in going in.

Just then I heard keys rattling at the door. No way, I thought, Ms Robinson can't be back_ already._ But sure enough, there she was.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" I asked, running to her. Her hair was a mess and she had mascara dripping down her orange face. "What happened?" I asked as gently as possible.

"It was Dave. He mugged me. Stole my phone. I need you to call the police," she cried. I nodded and hurried out the front door. Just our luck that she'd knocked milk all over the telephone a few months ago and never bothered to replace it.

"Jackie!" I called, slamming my hands on the next door neighbour's door. "Rose?" It was no use. Most people were probably out celebrating. I ran down the stairs and outside to the police box. _Please_ be the new government thingy, I prayed. Following the instructions on the left door, I pulled them both open. Oh. My. God. _It's bigger on the inside._

* * *

When I finally accepted that it was bigger on the inside I closed my mouth and walked around a bit more. There had to be a phone here somewhere.

"Got'cha," I said when I finally found one. I picked up the receiver and tried to find where the buttons were. I spotted a dial like the ones people used to have in the early 20th century just above the dashboard. This must be it. I'd reached out to it when the doors opened again. Inwards this time. Honestly, didn't they read?

I ducked hoping the man in the pinstriped suit wouldn't see me. He'll probably be even more surprised than I was. I mean, I was still a child really. I hadn't _completely_ ruled out hope of magic in the world yet.

* * *

I woke up to find myself lying on a neatly made bed in a huge bedroom. My head was throbbing and there was a buzzing but I had no recollection of hitting it. The walls were covered in shelves, lined with books and trinkets. I noticed one long shelf filled with just brown leather bound books. Some looked ancient but others brand new. The room was very welcoming and there were cushions strewn all over the floor and the wall at the opposite end was covered in pictures I was too far away to see clearly. Where am I?

I tried to think about the last thing I remembered. It was like trying to remember something you'd seen across the street as you passed in a fog. Gradually, bits and pieces of memories came back to me and eventually, the pieces of the jigsaw in my head fit together. But there's always one or two pieces missing when you try to finish a jigsaw puzzle.

I could remember walking into the police box and the man in the pinstriped suit with great hair clear as day, but when I concentrated I could remember the bright gold light and the man screaming. After he'd screamed I'd seen his face for just a split second but without doubt, I know it was a different man.

I stood up and took a few steps forward which strangely helped the buzzing fade. The carpet was so fluffy if I wasn't wearing shoes I'd swear I was walking on a cloud. I opened the door and walked out.

Out here was much different. The long corridor walls were blank and there was a smell of smoke. Far from the welcoming environment in the bedroom.

As I walked towards the balcony I began to see the birthplace of the smell. I approached the balcony and got a better look. The structure in the centre of the room which looked like a control panel from Star Trek was practically exploding. If this was a spaceship it wouldn't be the most surprising thing that happened today. I took a deep breath and made my way down the spiral staircase to the door, slowly releasing breath like I was swimming while running at my top speed. The heat was intense close to the controls and as I passed multiple sparks shot out which I was lucky to avoid.

I got out of the door and doubled over, breathing raggedly. Once I regained strength I stood up straight and saw that I was in someone's back garden. A child lived here, I guessed, judging from the red swing set. Although it did look rusty. . . Who knows maybe a child lived there, maybe they didn't, I thought. It was hardly the most important thing right now.

I dashed out of the garden and followed the path to the village. A stranger showing up in your garden with a smoking blue box probably wouldn't be taken lightly. What on earth was I going to do? I was definitely a long way from home with no idea how. It wasn't even winter here.

I was still in England thankfully. I'd never been so happy to see a bright red telephone box in my life. I was about to approach an old woman to ask her where this was when I saw him again. That man whose face changed. Blimey he had quite the chin.

"Excuse me," I said after running to him. "What like happened? With the" I gestured to his face and he simply said, "Got a new one – not important right now – hang on – You're awake already. Cool. Look, I'll explain later. Just stay with me."

I wanted to ask more questions but there were so many running through my head - mostly to do with where we were and how - but with so many to choose from all I could mutter was an awkward "Hi." to the red headed police woman next to him that I hadn't even noticed before.

"Hello," she replied uncomfortably. She didn't sound English but it was hard to tell from just one word.

The silence was interrupted by a buzzing voice booming from the ice cream van nearby. "Prisoner Zero will protest - all the human residents will be incinerated." It was hard to tell for sure what it said with my throbbing head and because the van driver was trying to change the station, which only added to the buzzing voice.

The police woman gave a look of surprise. "What? We're being staked out _by an ice-cream van_." My suspicions were confirmed, she wasn't English. She was Scottish.

Without a word the Doctor dashed towards the van, the Scot and I staggering behind.

He started speaking at a rapid pace and I stared on confused. Aliens? Okay. My head was too sore to bother applying logic. He'd taken off in another mad dash, limbs flailing and hopped over a fence. But I followed the red head and used the gate.

* * *

"TWENTY MINUTES?" I yelled, staring gobsmacked at the television. I hope I hadn't startled the poor old woman.

"We're gonna die in twenty minutes…? _Why_ are you smiling?" I asked The Doctor. Out of the corner of my eye I'd seen his mouth twitch into a grin. There was always someone who had inappropriate timed humour. "I'll explain that later too," he said leaping to his feet. "Only got twenty minutes to save the world."

* * *

"Okay, um, hold on tight to the console," he instructed.

"Where are you going?" I asked, doing what I was told.

"Just a quick hop to the moon and back. You know, to run her in."

"_The moon_?"

"Yeah the _moon_. This is a spaceship after all."

I'd guessed this before but it was strange to hear aloud.  
"…Her?" I laughed.

"_Yes_. Haven't got a problem with that have you?"  
"No," I grinned, raising one hand in surrender. He probably expected the journey to be a bit bumpier, it was actually flying smoother than any plane I'd been on.

"An actual spaceship," I thought out loud, admiring all the different buttons and gadgets.

"Yep. And a time machine."

"_A time machine_?"

"That's right."

"This is so cool…"

"I know."

"Wait – were we in a different year there?" I'd noticed some of the mobiles looked funny. Were they from the future?

"Yes. Two thousand and . . . seven I believe. Two years in your future," he answered, checking a screen.

Oh my God I've been in a different year. The ship gave a jolt, "There. Landed," he announced. "Would you like to have a look?"

Yesyesyes I thought. "We're seriously on the moon?" I questioned instead.

"Of course. Don't believe me?"

I paused before answering. "Maybe."

"So that's a yes?"

I nodded with and ran to the door.

"Wait – but I won't be able to breath."

"Right – of course. Sorry. Um…wardrobe. I don't know where the wardrobe is."

"Convenient," I joked to hide my disappointment.

"But – I _can_ extend the oxygen and gravity fields. You _will_ stand on the moon, Abbey."

No one ever called me Abbey, but I liked it. He immediately turned back to the controls, pushed a few buttons and gesturing to the door said, "Abigail, meet the universe."

I pulled the doors open and gasped. This is unbelievable. After a moment I turned back to him, "_Thank you_."

He simply smiled and started looking at his shoes. This probably happens every day for him. He must find it boring now.

I put one foot wearily outside the door and slowly lowered it to the ground. I chuckled to myself and quickly stepped out of the space-and-time-machine completely. I could hear The Doctor approaching behind me but I was too busy to care. I started jumping up and down, unfortunately landing almost as soon as I was in the air since he'd extended the gravity field.

"This is amazing," I whispered. "I'm glad you think so," he said. "If you like this, you should come back inside, explore the rest of the galaxies."

"Seriously? You're letting me go to planets with you?"

"Yes seriously. And not just planets – time too. And spaceships of course."

My cheeks ached with the smile across my face but I couldn't stop despite trying.

"Come on then. The moon'll seem boring by Saturday." He walked back into the ship and I followed at his heel.

"By the way," he said once he'd reached the console again and the doors and sealed themselves shut, "This ship is called the TARDIS – stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space - and she's been with me forever and is the greatest ship in the universe." He paused for what seemed like an age before finishing, "And when we _are_ separated we always find our way back to each other in the end. Remember that. Always. And rule number two – don't wander off." He'd been serious until he'd said what rule number two was. He snickered at that bit. There was probably some joke I wasn't getting but I didn't care.

"Okay, I won't wander off and I'll remember. So…are we going to get Amy now?"

"Yes we are," he said swinging his arms and legs as he pulled levers and pushed buttons.

What sort of limbs had he? I held on tightly to the console and heard him whisper, "Geronimo."

* * *

We landed back on Earth a lot quicker, it probably had something to do with his confidence in the squeaky clean TARDIS now. "Okay, you wait here. I'll get Amy."

"Doctor…?"

"Yes?"

"I've done something really stupid and . . . selfish."  
"What would that be?"

"Ms Robinson. She was mugged and I just abandoned her and now . . . can you just call the police at least and then drop me home eventually. At the same time I left?"

"Of course," he said handing me a phone from his inside jacket pocket. I was going to have to call. "And don't be so hard on yourself. Today wasn't exactly normal and it is very understandable that you forgot about your foster mother." That was true. Aliens, shapeshifters - multiforms as he'd called them - and stealing a fire truck. Yeah, it wasn't your typical day, I admitted to myself.

"Hang on - how did you know she was my foster mother?"

He grinned, "Spoilers."

Accepting that he wasn't going to tell me anything else I sighed and sat down on one of the yellow couches. "And may I just add, you are very good at the concept of time travel already," he said.

"Thanks. I watch a lot of tv."


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

I lay in the bed I'd woken up in earlier today – was it today? Yesterday? Tenses are very difficult when time travel is involved, I'd discovered. I'd also found out the lights in this room are censored at night, when you get out of bed they glow warmly again unless you turn off one of the many light switches around the room.

How was I supposed to sleep knowing that tomorrow I could be exploring a planet or going through time. The Doctor had explained the concept of time thankfully before we'd gotten to Starship UK. I still didn't understand the hows or whys but just like in maths class I accepted them. He even told me how the phone works. But I still didn't have the guts or energy to ring the police. I had all the time in the world to do it, why rush for Ms Robinson when she has never rushed for me.

I mightn't have to even go back to school. Just call the police and disappear and live anonymously through time and space. I couldn't think of anything better. Well, okay. Maybe if there wasn't things trying to kill us but they weren't everywhere. Only two out of three so far. Prisoner Zero and the smilers. Our trip to 23rd Century France today had gone perfectly. It was the best day of my life. Although the pizza flavoured croissants we'd ordered at a café were disgusting. The Doctor loved them but Amy and I had both spit them out into our napkins.

I hoped most days were like today and running for our lives wasn't a common occurrence. I hated running. I tossed and turned for hours before finally giving up. The Doctor had suggested I write a diary, he told me the brown books were mostly empty. I took one at random and opened the first page. This one wasn't empty.

_Hello Abigail,_

_Do not read inside this book – or any of the others with this same message. It's not just some silly diary. You'll discover eventually but for now. Don't even read one single entry._

Did The Doctor leave this message? On the opposite page was a list of entry titles:

_Rose_

_The End of Time_

_The Unquiet Dead_

_Aliens of London_

_World War Three_

_Dalek_

_The Long Game_

_Father's Day_

_The Empty Child __ The Doctor Dances_

_Boom Town_

_Bad Wolf_

I closed the book. "The Doctor Dances" intrigued me but I wasn't supposed to read it. I took another book and opened it. No message, no entry titles; just blank pages.

I looked around for a pen and saw a few on one of the higher shelves. I plucked one out of the tea cup they were being stored in and walked to the desk beside the telly.

I opened to the first entry page and decided to give the entries titles too. It seemed like a good way of finding what I was looking for if I was ever to need to. I started with "The Eleventh Hour". It was strangely satisfying giving vague titles. Made me feel professional. When I'd forced The Doctor to explain how his face changed he told me he was a timelord, the last timelord. And that when he died he regenerated which meant he got a new face. This was his tenth time regenerating and his eleventh incarnation.

My heart broke for him when he'd told me why he was the last. I couldn't imagine anything more painful than having to kill your entire race. But I didn't see him as a murderer, just a very unfortunate man. He hadn't gone into details about the war. Just said that he had to end it, and in order to do that, he needed to kill them. I hadn't pushed him further as he was already on the brink of tears. He said it was a long time ago but it was clearly fresh in his mind.

I didn't know whether or not he'd told Amy yet about the Time War but I wasn't going to mention it to either of them. Some things were better left unsaid.

* * *

I hope you liked this chapter. The next will be longer and feature more than just Abigail in her bedroom, I promise. If you have any ideas of what you think might happen next or in the end I'd love to hear them


	3. Chapter 3

Two chapters today because I've been really motivated today. Let me know what you think - I hope you like it.

* * *

A few hours later – I'm not sure if it would really count as the morning since when you're living in a time machine it's always day and always night – I woke up at the desk, my head buried in the diary.

I sat up straight and saw there was a huge blue ink stain on my hand. I groaned and headed to the bathroom around the corner.

"_Woah_," The Doctor laughed when we bumped into each other at the turn. "What happened to you?"

"Huh?"

"What like happened with the –," he gestured to my face, mimicking what I'd said to him the first time we met.

"I don't know. Why? What's on my face?" I self-consciously covered it.

"Doing some arts and crafts by any chance?" he joked.

I smiled sarcastically and went into the bathroom. Blimey I looked like a smurf-human offspring. I'd gotten ink all over the left side of my face. That's the first and last time I ever write the diary when I should be in bed.

I cursed under my breath and hopped into the shower. I wish I had one of these showers at home, you just get in, you're sprayed with water, soap and all the essentials, then there's a gust of warm air and you're good as new.

I got out and headed to the wardrobe we'd gone scavenging for before we went to France. Amy was already in there, deciding between two short denim skirts: one black, one grey.

"Mornin'," she greeted.

"Morning," I replied, walking over to the jeans rack.

"Do you know where we're going today?" I asked, flicking through the many blue jeans to find some that looked like they fit.

"No idea, but I for one want to go to a planet."

"Yeah that'd be great. I got to go to the moon but he extended the gravity field and the main reason people want to go to the moon is _because _there's a low gravity level."

"Oh yeah I thought I heard you saying something about that when I was out there…How old are you by the way? I don't think I asked."

"I'm fifteen. You?"

"Twenty one."

"So…what's it like in Ledworth?"

"Oh you know . . . quiet. Bit boring . . . but Rory's there so I put up with it."

"So you and Rory are still together?"

"Yep," she laughed. "And it's about to get a lot more serious…"

"How?" I'd finally found the right size and had moved over to the jumpers.

"Do you promise not to tell The Doctor?"

"Yeah. I'm good at keeping secrets." Usually because I forget what people tell me, but I left that part out.

"I'm getting married tomorrow."

"Oh . . . oh…" I don't know why I wasn't expecting it.

"Yeah. Oh."

"Do you not want to?"

"No _I do_ it's just. Oh I don't know. This little holiday will give me time to think things out."

"Yeah…you're right." My thoughts immediately flashed to Ms Robinson's tear streaked orange face.

"Sorry. There's something I have to get over with," I said, taking a black and white patterned jumper off it's hanger and going back to my bedroom.

* * *

I took the phone out of my bedside drawer and dialled. When someone picked up I spoke before they had a chance, "My foster mother, Susan Robinson's been mugged by Dave Nicholson. Look I have to go, she'll explain everything." I gave the address and hung up, taking a deep breath.

With a clear conscious and new clothes I went down stairs to the console room. The Doctor and Amy were already there. She'd chosen the grey denim skirt. "Where are we going today?" I asked sitting down on one of the plush yellow chairs.

"Going to visit Winston Churchill – I put him off for a day which was very rude of me."

"Oh yeah. The phone call." I'd completely forgot the prime minister had called him right after we left Starship UK. The Doctor had told him we were on the way but Winston needn't know that he was lying.

"You like properly know Winston Churchill?" Amy asked.

"Yes. Beat him at chess one time."

"What does he want you for?" I wondered.

"I dunno, maybe just a friendly chat…"

"Okay…" I said doubtfully.

"Ugh. We're gonna have to do more runnin' aren't we?" Amy complained.

"Possibly…" he replied.

* * *

"Amy, Abigail – Winston Churchill."

"Doctor."

"Oh, Winston, my old friend," The Doctor said extending his hand to shake.

Oh my God it was actually him. The real Winston Churchill. And soldiers pointing guns at us.

But the old prime minister didn't shake his hand, he held out his palm for The Doctor to hand him something.

"Ha," The Doctor laughed, "Every time."

"What's he after?" Amy asked.

"TARDIS key of course."

"Think of what I could achieve with your _remarkable _machine, Doctor. Think of all the lives that could be saved," Winston begged.

"Doesn't work like that I'm afraid," The Doctor said, shutting the TARDIS door. The war was a fixed point in time, I remembered. As were all wars that happened. The Doctor stops the ones that aren't fixed points.

"Must I take it by force?"

"I'd like to see you try."

Winston smiled for a moment. "At ease," he ordered the soldiers.

"You rang."

* * *

Winston lead us to the roof and introduced Professor Edwin. Seeing the future was one thing but seeing the past was even more surreal. Just thinking of all the people out there that will be dead soon made me shiver. All the people we've seen since we got here are dead now. Some could even be dead within a matter of weeks. Days even.

My thoughts were cut off by the sound of lasers and rays of light shooting at the distant enemy planes in the sky.

"What's that?" Amy asked.

"That wasn't human, that was never human technology. It sounded like…show me. _Show me what that was,"_ The Doctor said, running up to Professor Edwin.

"Advance."

"Our new secret weapon," Winston answered.


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter is the wrap-up of "Victory of the Daleks". I won't be writing every episode with just extra bits but meeting the Daleks is an important step for every companion so I felt it was necessary. This is really long and took me forever to write but I hope it was worth it.

* * *

"Listen to me. Just listen! The Daleks have no conscience, no mercy, no pity. They are my oldest and deadliest enemy. You cannot trust them!" The word 'Dalek' seemed familiar but I couldn't place it.

"If Hitler invaded Hell, I would give a favourable reference to the Devil! These machines are our salvation!"

As much as I hated to think badly of a dead man, Winston's ignorance was getting on my nerves. Why wouldn't he believe The Doctor?

There was a sound of sirens and Winston announced, "Oh, the all-clear. We are safe. For now." And with that he left, the Dalek following.

"Doctor, it's the all-clear. Are you okay?" Amy asked before I had a chance to enquire about my suspicions.

"What does hate look like, Amy?" The Doctor asked.

"Hate?"

"It looks like a Dalek. And I'm going to prove it."

I followed The Doctor out of the room but Amy just rolled her eyes and turned to a male officer working there.

"Doctor?" I said.

"Yes?"

"You said the Daleks were your 'oldest and deadliest enemy'. I couldn't help but wonder… are they who the war was against? The Time War…?"

He cleared his throat, "Yes. They survived."

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. It's not your fault, it's mine."

"No. No it isn't. I don't know what happened during The Time War or what happened after but nothing would convince me that it was your fault."

He smiled but didn't say anything. A few seconds later, Amy came striding down the corridor and caught up with us.

"What're you two chattin' about?"

"Nothing," he answered. "Excuse me, where could I find Professor Bracewell?" The Doctor asked an apparent secretary.

"Just around the corner. First door on the left."

"Thank you."

* * *

As soon as we arrived The Doctor began inspecting the room and I sat down on a metal chair. I had a feeling this is how things would be most days.

"Alright, Prof. The PM's been filling me in. Amazing things, these Ironsides of yours. Amazing. You must be very proud of them," The Doctor told Edwin. Trying a new tactic was probably a good idea considering how it had gone with 'The PM'.

"Just doing my bit," Edwin replied proudly.

"Not bad for a paisley boy," Amy said, picking up a large spanner.

The Doctor sat down and began reading a file he'd taken.

"Yes, I thought I detected a familiar cadence, my dear," Edwin said to Amy.

"How did you do it? Come up with the idea?" The Doctor asked, cutting to the chase.

"How does the muse of invention come to anyone?" he replied brightly.

The Doctor tossed the file behind him, "Get a lot of these clever notions do you?"

"Well ideas just seem to teem from my head," he answered. Sure they do. "Wonderful things! Like . . .let me show you," Edwin finished, showing us more files.

"Some musings on the potential of hypersonic flight. Gravity bubbles that could sustain life outside of the terrestrial atmosphere! Came to me in the bath."

This didn't seem like human technology but definitely not the technology of World War II England.

"Bit advanced . . ." I said sceptically.

"Well, thank you, my dear."

The Doctor forced a smile before quickly becoming serious, "And are these your ideas or theirs?"

"No, no, no, no. These robots are entirely under my control, Doctor. They are - thank you," A Dalek had brought him some tea and I couldn't help but grin. Oh great, now _I_ was the one with the inappropriately timed humour.

"The perfect servant and the perfect warrior," Edwin finished.

"I don't know what you're up to, Professor, but whatever they've promised, you cannot trust them! Call them what you like, the Daleks are death!"

"Yes, Doctor. Death to our enemies! Death to the forces of darkness, and death to the Third Reich!" boomed Winston as he and another Dalek entered.

"Yes, Winston, and death to everyone else too!"

"Mr. Churchill, just _listen_ to him – he's your _friend_. Why don't you believe him?" I asked, my tone a coat of patience to hide my inner fury.

"Because I know for a _fact _that they will win us the war."

The anger boiled inside me and I felt like I was going to explode. Now is not the time to lash out – and certainly not to the Prime Minister, I told myself.

"Would you care for some tea?" The Dalek asked The Doctor.

The Doctor knocked the tray and cup to the floor in anger, "_Stop this_! _What are you doing here_? _What do you want_?"

"We seek only to help you."

"To do what?"

"To win the war."

"_Really_? Which war?"

"I do not understand."

"This war, against the Nazis? Or your war? The war against the rest of the Universe? The war against all life forms that are not Dalek?"

"I do not understand. I am your soldier."

"Oh, yeah? Okay." The Doctor turned around and grabbed a giant spanner. Please don't do something stupid. They're dangerous and he'll wind up _killed_.

"Okay, soldier. _Defend yourself_!"

The Doctor hit the Dalek with the spanner, the loud bang echoing through the room. God for the smartest person I'd ever met he was so stupid.

"Doctor, _what the devil_?" Edwin panicked.

"You do not require tea?" The Dalek asked.

"Oh lord…" I mumbled, "Doctor, stop, you'll only make it angry."

"But this doesn't make sense!" he punctuated with hitting the spanner off the metal. I felt vibrations in my teeth.

"Stop it! _Prime Minister, please_," Edwin begged.

"Doctor, please, these machines are _precious_."

The Doctor ignored him, "_What are you waiting for? You hate me. You want to kill me. Well, go on! Kill me. Kill me_!" He whacked the Dalek again.

"_WHAT ARE YOU DOING?_" I screamed.

"_Doctor, be careful_!" Amy shouted, pushing him away.

"Please desist from striking me. I am your soldier." The Dalek requested.

"You are my enemy!" He continued to punctuate with hits.

"_And I am yours_! You are everything I despise! The worst thing in all creation. I've defeated you time and time again, I've defeated you. I sent you back into the void! I saved the whole of reality from you! I am the Doctor! _And you are the Daleks_!"

He kicked it this time, pushing it backwards.

"Correct. Review testimony." Everyone's eyes widened. Hmm who saw _that _coming?

"Testimony? What are you talking about, testimony?" The Doctor asked.

"Transmitting testimony now," the other Dalek announced.

"Transmitting what? Where?"

There was a few moments pause before the second Dalek spoke again, "Testimony accepted."

"Get back! All of you!" The Doctor ordered.

"_Marines! Marines_! Get in here!" Winston called.

Two marines came hurrying in and the Dalek shot them both dead.

"Stop it! Stop it, _please_! What are you doing? You are my Ironsides!" Edwin shouted.

"We are the Daleks!" the first dalek corrected him.

"_But I created you_."

"No," the Dalek shot the professors hand, revealing just a stump of circuitry. Not a single person didn't look terrified. "We created you."

In unison the Daleks declared, "Victory!"

"What just happened, Doctor?" Amy asked.

"I wanted to know what they wanted, what their plan was. _I was their plan_." He dashed out of the room. I wanted to follow but my feet were glued to spot.

* * *

"What do we do now?" I asked Amy.

She shrugged, "I don't know…"

"I guess we just wait…"

Amy bowed her head.

"Oh I'm sorry – I didn't – I wasn't thinking – sorry," I apologised.

"No, no, it's fine," she laughed it off. It felt weird to be just sitting here and having a nice conversation when everyone else was working hard to help in any way possible with the war, but there was nothing else we could do.

"You know how there was the whole thing about Prisoner Zero? Does that mean that everyone just knows and has accepted that there's aliens or what?"

"Umm… I don't know. No one talks about it."

"Seriously?"

Amy nodded.

"Humans never fail to surprise me," I laughed. Amy was serious, though.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" she asked.

"Yes. I do. He's clever remember? Although that thing with the spanner was bone dead stupid."

Amy did laugh this time, "I know, right? What was he thinking?"

I shrugged, "Probably wanted to get the confession over with. He must have been going mad. Can't blame him though . . ."

A woman in uniform came over with two mugs of tea, "Here you go, girls," she said in a high pitched Manchester accent.

"Thanks," I said, wrapping my hand around the steaming mug. "Yeah, thanks," Amy agreed.

"Did you ask for this?" I asked Amy when the woman had left.

"Yep. Felt weird when a robot asked but I'd been craving one for a while. She offered a few minutes ago. That woman is a godsend."

I smiled, "This tea is older than both of us combined."

Her nose wrinkled, "Are you trying to turn me off it?" she joked.

I exaggerated a shrug and started sipping. It wasn't great but it was nice to have something to occupy my hands.

"I like you," Amy announced out of the blue.

I laughed, "I like you too."

"I don't know why I said that . . ." Amy laughed, "I mean I _do _like you but it's not like me to just tell people that."

"Me neither. We're practically sisters."

"This, I think, is the start of a great bond," Amy smiled.

"Cheers," I said raising the mug.

"Cheers," Amy repeated, gently clashing cups.

* * *

"Signal from RDF, sir. Unidentified object. Hanging in the sky, Captain Childers says. We can't get a proper fix, though. It's too far up."

"What do you think, Miss Pond? Miss Smith? The Doctor's in trouble and now we know where he is," Winston said.

"Yeah. Cos he'll be on that ship, won't he? Right in the middle of everything," Amy enlightened.

"Exactly."

* * *

One of the officers tried to turn off the lights to no avail, "The lights won't switch off! _The lights are on all across London, Prime Minister_!"

"Has to be them. Has to be the Daleks, right?" Amy said.

"Has to be," I agreed.

"_The Germans can see every inch of the city. We're sitting ducks. Get those lights out before the Germans get here!_" Winston ordered the officer who went to check the generators.

Almost every officer was speaking frantically into their headsets at once. It was impossible to concentrate but I knew they were all receiving or delivering bad news.

"Here they come," said Winston, "Get a message to Mr. Attlee. War Cabinet meeting at 0300 . . . if we're all still here." I gulped, he certainly wasn't holding back.

"_We can't just sit here_," Amy stated, "We've got to take the fight to the Daleks!"

"How? None of our weapons are a match for theirs," Winston told her. He was right, it would be a waste, but there had to be _something_ we could do.

"Oh, look, we must have something. Oh! _Staring us in the face_. A gift. From the Daleks."

* * *

Amy had ran off and quickly arrived back with Professor Bracewell at her side. Of _course_, I thought. I'd wondered what she'd meant by 'a gift from the Daleks'.

I pulled Amy aside and whispered, "Are you sure this is a good idea? I doubt the Daleks would give us a weapon to use against them. Are you positive?"

"…No. But we have to try something."

Dust was falling from the ceiling as the city above was bombed. Bracewell had set up a screen which retrieved Dalek transmissions apparently. On the little black and white screen The Doctor and a white Dalek, much larger than the ones that had been in the Cabinet Rooms, appeared.

"We are the paradigm of a new Dalek race," it said.

"It's him. It's The Doctor," Amy pointed out.

"Scientist, Strategist. Drone, Eternal and the Supreme" it told The Doctor.

"Which would be you, I'm guessing? Well, you know, nice paint job. I'd be feeling pretty swish if I looked like you. Pretty Supre-eme." I rolled my eyes at his impression.

"He's got company. New company. _We've got to hurry up_," Amy said.

A phone rang and Edwin answered, "Yes? Right, thanks." He hung up, "Ready when you are, Prime Minister."

"Splendid."

A ship appeared on the screen, "_Spaceship's exact co-ordinates located_," said Edwin.

"Go to it, Group Captain. _Go to it_," Winston ordered.

"Broadsword to Danny Boy! Broadsword to Danny Boy! Scramble! Scramble! Scramble!" a man who I guessed was 'Group Captain' called into his headset. I had no idea what a word of that meant but it didn't matter what I knew.

"Question is, what do we do now?" asked The Doctor on screen, "Either you turn off your clever machine or I'll blow up you and your new paradigm into eternity." No. He had to be joking. There must be some clever reason why he was saying this. Was he holding a biscuit? There was an electric sound we couldn't see the source of on the screen.

"And yourself," the Dalek said.

"Occupational hazard."

"Oh God no," I whispered.

Off screen another Dalek spoke, "Scan reveals nothing. TARDIS self-destruct device non-existant."

I released a sigh of relief before realising him being caught out wasn't good.

"All right," he paused to take a bite of the biscuit, "it's a Jammy Dodger, but I was promised tea."

A siren on screen sounded and there was the sound of a moving Dalek. "Alert!" it said, "Unidentified projectile approaching. Correction. Multiple projectiles!"

"What have the humans done?" the white Dalek asked.

"I don't know," The Doctor replied.

"Explain! Explain! Explain!" it demanded.

"The signal's picked up!" 'Group Captain' announced.

Over the radio on the ship was the pilot they'd contacted, "Danny Boy to the Doctor! Danny Boy to the Doctor! Are you receiving me? Over."

"_Oh Winston, you beauty_!" The Doctor cheered.

"Danny Boy to The Doctor. Come in. Over."

"Loud and clear, Danny Boy! Big dish, side of the ship, blow it up. Over," The Doctor replied.

"Exterminate The Doctor!" the Dalek panicked. The Doctor ran as lasers were shot at him. They were definitely more than just two in that room.

"You heard him, Group Captain. _Target that dish_. Send in all we've got," Winston said happily.

Everything after that happened so quickly it was hard to keep track. There were people shooting at the ship, lights working normally again, the Doctor disappearing back to the TARDIS, Bracewell's monitor malfunctioning… What was taking The Doctor so long?

"He's withdrawn the attack, sir," a male officer told Winston.

"_Why would he do that_?"

"Something must be happening up there. They could have trapped him – or –or threatened him or something," I suggested.

"_Fix it_!" Amy shouted at Edwin.

"_I'm trying_! ... I have to get something from my office." He jumped up from his chair and made his way to the door at the same time The Doctor ran in and with one great punch, knocked him to the ground.

* * *

"_You were bloody amazing, Amy_," I told her.

"Oh it was nothing," she replied modestly but she had a wide smile on her face.

I scoffed, "Yeah and the universe is really quite small."

The three of us smirked as we reached the TARDIS.

"So, you have enemies then . . ." Amy observed to The Doctor.

"Everyone's got enemies."

"Yeah, but mine's the woman outside Budgens with the mental Jack Russell-,"

"And mine's my P.E. teacher," I interrupted.

Amy smiled before finishing, "You've got, like, you know, arch-enemies." Her and The Doctor leaned against the TARDIS.

"Suppose so," he admitted.

"And here's me thinking we'd just be running through time, being daft and fixing stuff. But no, it's dangerous."

I nodded and smiled at how silly we'd both been.

"Yup. Very. Is that a problem?" he asked, his eyes flicking between the both of us.

We replied at the same time, a "No." from me and Amy said, "I'm still here, aren't I? You're worried about the Daleks."

"I'm always worried about the Daleks." My heart sunk.

"It'll take time, though, won't it? There's still not many of them. They'll need a while to build themselves up."

"At some point in time they – might – have finished building up," I said.

"Exactly," The Doctor said, "But it's not that. There's something else. Something we've forgotten. Or rather you have, Amelia."

"Me?"

"You didn't know them, Amy. You'd never seen them before. And you should have done. You should."

He turned away and entered the TARDIS, leaving a confused Amy and I to follow.


	5. Chapter 5

_Takes place right after the last chapter ended_

* * *

"What do you mean?" Amy asked, "I've never seen them before – so what? Neither has Abbey."

The Doctor stopped what he was doing with the controls and looked up, "They haven't invaded for her yet. Abbey is a few years behind you."

"I don't remember any _invasion_."

"Well you _should_."

I interrupted the uncomfortable silence, "I'm gonna get something to eat. Any of you want anything to . . . eat or . . . to drink?" I offered.

They both shook their heads and I hopped off to the kitchen.

* * *

A few minutes after, I was helping myself to some rich chocolate cake when The Doctor came in.

"Are you not tired?" he asked.

"No."

"People are always exhausted after nearly being blown up…"

"You're not."

"I'm not people."

"Yes you are. You're not _human_, but you _are _a person."

"I suppose you're right," he smiled.

"_So ,_anywhere you'd like to go tomorrow?" he asked.

"I don't mind, but I _would_ like to avoid World Wars for tomorrow if that's all right with you."

"No World Wars – you've got it … you really should be going to bed though. Who knows how much we'll have to do tomorrow."

I groaned, "Fine. I'm taking this to my room." I picked up the plate and walked out the door.

"Goodnight, Doctor."

"Goodnight, Abigail."

* * *

I'd finished the cake by the time I'd gotten to my room so I set it down on a shelf between one of the many clocks and a framed photo of a robot dog. God only knows where that came from.

I was in no mood for sleep so I walked towards the mural of photos on the far wall. I'd been wanting to get a look at them for a while but whenever I woke up I'd be too excited and just run downstairs, and every other day when I came back I'd been too tired to even walk that far.

What? That's impossible. There were pictures of _me_ here. I looked a little older, but only by a few years. It was definitely still me. There were so many other people as well. _Rose_? Oh my God; this is my future. But if this is _my_ future does that mean the future me brought the pictures to the present day TARDIS? Wibbly wobbly timey wimey.

And there's The Doctor! His older face. Were all of these pictures of him? Well, they couldn't _all _be him since he couldn't be in multiple places at once. Then again, he probably could.

There were pictures of the TARDIS too, it was definitely the TARDIS but the design was a bit different. Different colours. Not exactly the same controls. Some smaller looking, some bigger. If this is my future and I'm assuming The Doctor is at least some of these people, and I look only about 5 or 6 years older then how often does he regenerate?

I'd miss that silly face but at least I knew his personality would stay the same – with that dress sense it could only be him. But then I spotted one of The Doctors. He was definitely The Doctor, but he'd already happened… I was in pictures with him. Could The Doctor regenerate back? Then it occurred to me: are we going to meet his past self and is that how he knew things I never told him?

Usually I plan what I'm going to say and think things over before I try and force people into telling me things but this was not one of those times.

I stormed to the control room and sure enough, there he was.

"_Doctor? Pictures, you. Tell me. Now!"_

He raised his hands in surrender and took two steps back.

"Just calm down," he said, "I'll explain everything I can – but I can't tell you everything – _it's not my fault_. If I could I would but I can't so don't kill me."

"Fine. _Tell me_."

"I've met you before. It hasn't happened for you yet. And I can't tell you any more than that I'm _so _sorry."

I took a few deep breaths before speaking again, "That doesn't tell me much… but thank you. It clears it up a little bit… Doctor, why isn't Amy in the pictures? If it's the future then . . ."

He mimicked zipping his lips.

I sighed, "Let me guess? Spoilers."


	6. Chapter 6

"Mornin'" Amy greeted, "Sleep well?"

"Yeah, great. You?"

"Yep. I was unconscious. I feel like I never need to close my eyes again."

The Doctor came striding into the kitchen, adjusting his bowtie.

"Ah you're up already," he said to me.

"Oh come on, just because I slept for fourteen hours yesterday doesn't mean I'm going to be up late _every_ day."

"And the day before you slept for twelve," he pointed out.

"So? I didn't miss anything except helping you decide which brand of milk to get."

"Ah – but you also missed him having a mental breakdown when the shop didn't have any custard," Amy told me.

"I was going to make fish fingers – and there's no point in having fish fingers if you don't have any custard – and I wasn't going to go to another shop. That would be embarrassing. _And I did not_ have a mental breakdown. I was just very surprised is all," The Doctor defended.

Amy and I laughed but I quickly shut my mouth, afraid of hurting his feelings.

"Come on," he said, ignoring Amy's lingering giggles, "Finish your cornflakes. We've got a universe to see."

"Can we finally go to a planet?" Amy asked.

"I suppose so. Yes. It's been a while since we've gone to a good ol' planet."

"_I've _never been to one besides the Earth," Amy reminded him.

"Yeah well I can't help that humans keep calling. And that we need milk . . . Why must it come from a cow? We'll go to a planet in the afternoon – for now, let's go somewhere else."

* * *

The Doctor strode quickly through the museum, possibly sensing Amy and I's annoyance.

"_Wrong_. _Wrong_. Bit right, _mostly wrong_. I love museums."

"Yeah, great. Can we go to a planet now? Big space ship, France hundreds of years in the future, Churchill's bunker, Ancient Greece, Shakespeare's first play...? You promised me a planet next. And frankly, I was disappointed you didn't let us talk to Shakespeare."

"Amy, this isn't any old asteroid. It's the Delerium Archive, final resting place of the headless monks, the biggest museum ever."

"You've got a time machine, what do you need museums for?"

"_Wrong_! Very wrong! Oooh, one of mine. . . Also one of mine."

He peered into a display case.

"Oh, I see. It's how you keep score."

The Doctor looked on to the next case, something catching his eye.

"Oh great, an old box." Amy did not seem amused.

"What is it?" I enquired.

"It's from one of the old starliners. A Home Box."

"What's a home box?" Amy asked.

"Like a black box on a plane, except it homes. Anything happens to the ship, the Home Box flies home, with all the flight data."

"A flying box? That's nice. Can we go somewhere else now? _Please_. We could come back here another time…?" I said eagerly.

"In a while. _Be patient_," he replied.

"Okay it's a homebox. So? Does it matter? Visiting a new planet seems a bit more interesting, Doctor." Amy sounded as bored as I felt. Usually I liked museums but when you had the possibilities that we had it was like going back to school after the summer holidays.

"The writing, the graffiti - Old High Gallifreyan. The lost language of the Time Lords." Okay, now I was interested.

"There were days, there were many days, these words could burn stars and raise up empires, and topple Gods," he continued.

"What does it say?" Amy asked, seeming interested.

"Hello, sweetie."

"Hello, sweetie?" I scoffed, "Well, _that _was worth our time. Now can we go?"

"Hold on just _one _minute," he whispered, withdrawing the sonic screwdriver from his jacket pocket.

He cautiously looked around for security before unlocking the case. A security alarm blared and there were guards running at us from the next room. The Doctor grabbed the home box and in a mad dash we made it back inside the TARDIS and he dematerialised faster than I'd ever seen him do it before.

"What was the point of that?" I asked, "You _know _what it says."

"Yeah," Amy agreed, "Why are we doing this?"

"Cos someone on a space ship 12,000 years ago is trying to attract my attention. Let's see if we can get the security playback working…"

A slightly pixelated, black and white footage of a woman in a black dress and sunglasses with wild curly hair appears on the monitor. She winked at the camera and it switched to view her from behind as she faced a door.

"The party's over, Doctor Song, yet still you're on board," a man observed.

Doctor Song turned to face him, the camera now on her face.

"Sorry, Alistair," she apologised, "I needed to see what was in your vault. Do you all know what's down there? Any of you? Because I'll tell you something. This ship won't reach its destination."

"Wait till she runs. Don't make it look like an execution." So there were others there too…

"…slash, three, four, nine by ten."

The Doctor, Amy and I exchanged looks.

" Zero, twelve, slash, acorn. Oh, and I could do with an air corridor," Doctor Song finished.

The Doctor began frantically typing on the keyboard.

"What was that, what did she say?" Amy asked him.

"Co-ordinates!" he answered.

As The Doctor fiddled with the machine I looked back to the screen, "Like I said on the dance floor: you might want something to hang onto." For some reason she reminded me of what Amy might be like when she goes to work.

What I guessed was a timer began to beep frantically and Doctor Song grinned cheekily. She blew a kiss and the door behind her blew open, Doctor Song floating away into space.

The Doctor ran to the doors and reached out, pulling Doctor Song in almost immediately, the two of them landing on the floor.

"Doctor?" Amy said.

The Doctor didn't reply, he looked at Doctor Song with a surprised look still on his face, "River?" he asked. Was River her name? For a school play once I played a character called River. Well, actually I was _a_ river and just had to move gently in the breeze with a big blue blanket to hold onto and cover myself with. River Song. It sounded like a superhero's name.

The Doctor and River hopped up from the floor.

"Follow that ship," she ordered.

* * *

The Doctor and River started working the controls together, River barefoot, while Amy and I stared on in confusion.

"They've gone into warp drive, we're losing them! Stay close!" River ordered.

"I'm _trying_!"

"_Use the stabilisers."_

_"There aren't any stabilisers!"_

"The blue switches!"

"_The blue ones don't do anything_! They're just . . . _blue_."

"Yes, they're blue. They're the _blue _stabilisers."

River flicked the switches and the TARDIS grew quiet. "See?" she smiled.

"Yeah well, it's just boring now, isn't it? They're boringers. Just blue borings," The Doctor complained.

"Doctor, how come she can fly the TARDIS?" Amy whispered.

"You call that flying the TARDIS?" The Doctor said, making sure River could hear him, "Ha!"

He flopped onto the chair and started sulking. I exaggerated a pout, "Aw, is someone else playing with your toy, Doctor?" He gave a stern look at first, then proceeded to hide a smirk.

"Okay, I've mapped the probability vectors, done a fold-back on the temporal isometry, charted the ship to its destination, and parked us right alongside," River said proudly.

"Parked us? We haven't landed," The Doctor argued.

"Of course we've landed. I just landed her."

"But it didn't make the noise…"

"What noise?"

"You know, the..." The Doctor made a wheezing sound as an impression of the TARDIS.

"It's not supposed to make that noise. _You_ leave the brakes on."

His eyes flickered to me for a fraction of a second.

"Yeah, well, it's a brilliant noise. I love that noise. Come along, Pond, Abbey, let's have a look."

"No, wait! Environment checks," River reminded him.

"Oh, yes, sorry! Quite right. Environment checks," he stuck his head out the door, "Nice out."

Ignoring him, River called out the environment from the monitor, "We're somewhere in the Garn Belt. There's an atmosphere. Early indications suggest-"

"We're on Alfalfa Metraxis, the seventh planet of the Dundra System. Oxygen-rich atmosphere, toxins in the soft band, 11-hour day, and..." he popped his head out the door again, "chances of rain later."

"He thinks he's so hot when he does that," River told Amy and I.

The Doctor joined us at the console and sat down again.

"How come you can fly the TARDIS?" Amy asked River.

"Oh, I had lessons from the _very_ best."

"Well . . . yeah," The Doctor said smugly.

"It's a shame you were busy that day…" she said, wiping the look off his face.

She picked up her shoes and changed subject, "Right then, why did they land here?"

"They didn't land," The Doctor answered as she was heading for the door.

"Sorry?"

"You should've checked the Home Box - it crashed."

River stepped outside and The Doctor shut it before hurrying back to the console.

"_Explain_. Who is that and how did she do that museum thing?" Amy demanded.

"It's a long story and I don't know most of it. _Off we go_."

"What are you doing?"

"Leaving. She's got where she wants to go, let's go where we want to go."

"Are you basically running away?"

"Yep."

"Why?" we both asked.

"'Cause she's the future. _My future._"

I didn't recognise her from the wall, but maybe that's why The Doctor didn't know her. Whichever one of us took the pictures couldn't take pictures of her because it would change the past mystery surrounding her. I'd forced him into having a conversation about paradoxes with me after he briefly mentioned some wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff and I basically just had to repeat "What?" over and over again until he explained. It was surprisingly easy to get out of him.

"Can you run away from that?"

"I can run away from anything I like. Time is not the boss of me."

"So are you the boss of time then?" I asked.

"Kind of -"

"Hang on, is that a planet out there?" Amy cut in.

"Yes, of course it's a planet."

"You promised me a planet," Amy reminded him excitedly, "Five minutes?"

"Okay. Five minutes."

"_Yes_," Amy and I rejoiced, hurrying out of the TARDIS.

"But that's all! 'Cause I'm telling you now, that woman is not dragging me into anything!"

* * *

"Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Amy Pond, Abbey Solomon - Professor River Song."

I didn't bother asking how he knew my last name.

"I'm going to be a Professor some day, am I?"

The Doctor winced.

"How exciting," she chuckled, "Spoilers."

The Doctor and her have that catch-phrase in common. She could even be mocking him.

"Yeah, but who is she and how did she do that? _She just left you a note in a museum_," Amy whispered to The Doctor. He just walked away.

"Two things always guaranteed to show up in a museum: The Home Box of category four starliner and, sooner or later: him. It's how he keeps score," River answered for him.

"I know," Amy laughed.

"It's hilarious isn't it?"

The Doctor came back and laughed sarcastically, "_I'm nobody's taxi service_."

"I'm not gonna be there to catch you every time you feel like jumping out of a space ship," he told River.

"And you are so wrong," she corrected him, "There's one survivor. There's a thing in the belly of that ship that can't ever die," she informed, "_Now_ he's listening," River laughed, sensing she had The Doctor's full attention.

"You lot in orbit yet? Yeah, I saw it land. I'm at the crash site. Try and home in on my signal," she said into her electronic device.

"Doctor, can you sonic me? I need to boost the signal so we can use it as a beacon," she requested, holding up the device.

"_Ooh, Doctor_. You _soniced_ her," Amy giggled.

"We have a minute. Shall we?" River called, opening her diary, "Where were we up to? Have we done the Bone Meadows?"

"What's the book?" Amy asked.

"Stay away from it."

"What is it though?"

"Her diary."

"Our diary," River rectified.

"Her past, my . . . future. Time travel. We keep meeting in the wrong order."

"So…kind of like us? Just more mixed up?" I supposed.

"Like us," he replied.

"Wait – what are you talking about?" Amy queried.

"Long story. Talk about it later…maybe," he said quickly, looking back to River for her to continue.

But before she could, four swirling columns materialised to reveal four soldiers, one of which approached River.

"You promised me an army, Doctor Song," he complained.

"No. I promised you the equivalent of an army. This is the Doctor."

The Doctor gave a casual salute and shook his hand.

"Father Octavian, sir. Bishop, second class. 20 clerics at my command," he introduced himself, "The troops are already in the drop ship and landing shortly. Doctor Song was helping us with a covert investigation. Has Doctor Song explained what we're dealing with?"

"Doctor, what do you know of the Weeping Angels?" River asked. The Doctor tensed and faced her.

Angels? I thought it was the extra-terrestrial, not the biblical creatures we dealt with.

"Well, that's good isn't it? I mean angels are good . . . right?" I questioned.

"These are not your typical angels, Abbey…" The Doctor said seriously.

* * *

"So, whatever a _Weeping Angel_ is, it's really bad, yeah?" Amy guessed, swinging her feet as she sat on the desk.

"Now that's interesting..." The Doctor observed to himself.

"You're still here. Which part of "Wait in the TARDIS till I tell you it's safe" was so confusing?" he asked us. Before we could reply he turned to me, "I'm surprised you stopped doing what I told you so early."

"Ooh, are you all Mr Grumpy Face today?" Amy said with a pout.

"A Weeping Angel, Amy, is the deadliest, most powerful, most malevolent life form evolution has ever produced, and one is trapped inside that wreckage and I'm supposed to climb in with a screwdriver and a torch-and assuming I survive the radiation, and the whole ship doesn't blow up in my face-do something clever which I haven't actually thought of yet. That's my day, that's what I'm up to. Any questions?" It didn't give Amy any perspective of priorities at the moment.

"Is River Song your wife?" I'd been wondering that too, I was just glad I didn't have to be the one to ask.

"Yes. You're right. I am definitely Mr Grumpy Face today." That didn't end where I was expecting it to, but perhaps he didn't know the answer to Amy's last question.

* * *

I woke up a sweaty mess. Too afraid, I'd turned the lights on manual lock before I'd went to bed, not brave enough to sleep in the dark. I looked at one of the many clocks, I'd been asleep for ten minutes only. Unless we had changed time zone, which was unlikely. At "night" we were almost always just parked somewhere in space, barely moving more than a few feet.

I sat up straight, eyes wide open. Whenever I closed them for more than a second I saw them again. The Angels. It wasn't like Amy's case, the image of the angel wasn't in my eye, but the dark reminded me of them. It would be a long time before I could sleep with the lights on again.

Was The Doctor back yet? He was dropping Amy home for a while. I'd asked if he was taking me home too but he'd just shook his head and said I "should get some sleep. It's been a … tense day."

He was right. The Daleks, Prisoner Zero, all of those things I could deal with, but the Weeping Angels were just statues. Things you see every day and think nothing of. But to imagine, that on a quiet day at the park on my own, if there hadn't been one or two extra people wandering about, I could be dead by now. They're just hiding away on various planets, any statue could be an angel. Blink and you're dead. It would have been impossible for me to survive if I was on my own in that room like Amy. I wasn't nearly as strong or smart as she was. And River too, she was definitely brilliant. Something weird had happened when she'd touched me on the shoulder though, it was like an electric shock, we'd both pulled away immediately and I'd stupidly asked if some dust or chemical here was used in carpets. She shook her head and laughed.

I climbed out of bed and decided to go to the library to take my mind off things.

It was empty, as usual. I'd never actually gotten around to reading any of the books here, I'd been too distracted just _looking_ at them all. The library was vast and amazing, it was impossible to _not _be distracted for at least the first handful of times. Eventually, after probably an hour of walking around aimlessly, I chose a book and sat down on one of the long couches tucked away in a corner.

* * *

"Thought I'd find you here!" The Doctor said brightly.

I forced my eyes open but only managed halfway before giving up and keeping them shut. "How long have I been asleep?" I asked. I don't know why, he couldn't have known.

"Well, I dunno. I found you here about six hours ago so … you've been asleep longer than that."

"Did you give me this blanket?" I guessed.

"Yeah. Didn't want you to catch a cold, did I? Now come on, we're picking up another passenger."

* * *

I hope you liked this chapter. I'd really love to hear your thoughts, theories and comments as it motivates me and I'm going to need a lot of that with school starting in just a manner of days.


	7. Chapter 7

Short chapter which takes place right after Vampires of Venice

* * *

"Even after all that research I did, I wasn't expecting that," Rory confessed. "Yeah, me neither," Amy smiled. Rory stared at her, an awkward tension spreading to The Doctor and I.

"Seems like you two need to work some things out," The Doctor said, "C'mon Abbey, let's leave those two alone."

He gestured his head to one of the doorways and slowly walked away, I forced an innocent smile to Amy and Rory and hobbled after The Doctor.

When we were out of earshot I spoke, "What happened with them? Why do they need to '_work things out_'?"

He blushed.

"Amy kissed me."

"Oh . . . well that's um… yeah I can see why … yeah…" I dribbled.

"What?" he asked. Damn. Had I gone back to having terrible projection again? I'd been getting better at it since I had to start screaming, 'Doctor' at the top of my lungs every day.

"I can see why that could be something they might need to work out."

"Oh, yes." He blushed.

"So, where are we hiding until the bombs have stopped falling?" I asked.

"I don't know…anywhere I suppose. I hadn't really thought it through. Just wanted to get out of there quickly, really."

"That's understandable."

"We could go to the ball pit…or the cinema?"

"There's a ball pit?"

"Yes, it's _cool. _A room _full_ of just plastic balls. Although it does have a tendency to move around a lot so we mightn't find it."

"Cinema then I suppose. And when you say 'cinema' do you mean a room with a TV and some films or a big screen, projector and popcorn?"

"Both. But the proper one is right around here, the other is further," he answered, gesturing to the right turn at the end of the corridor.

"How do you not get lost?"

"I do sometimes, but s- the TARDIS helps you get back to the control room."

"Would it help me?"

"Of course! Now, here we are." The Doctor pushed open the door and inside was a small theatre, but it was pretty impressive for a home cinema. It even had a confection stand tucked away in the corner.

"Ooh yum" he squealed, dashing over and taking a handful of gummy bears.

"How long have they been there?" I asked, slumping down on one of the chairs.

"Mere minutes," he replied proudly, "I always slow down the speed of time in this room so films don't have to end so soon."

"But it feels like it's moving normally…"

"For now. Wait until you leave. It'll seem like it took forever to end. I _hate_ endings."

"Me too…so what are we watching?"

"Oh I don't mind, what do you think?" He flicked on the projector and a selection of titles came up.

"These are my favourites, but we don't have to watch them of course."

"I trust your judgement," I lied. If his choice in clothes were anything to go by the films wouldn't be great but they'd probably be funny.

"How about … that one," I suggested, pointing towards a random film at the top of the screen. He could tell what I was pointing at. The screen was _very _big.

"That one…" he smiled. "I knew someone who used to love that."

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter," he brushed off.

"Go on, you can tell me. I won't tell anyone."

After a long pause he spoke again.

"Susan. My granddaughter," he finally spat out.

"_You have a granddaughter_?"

"Don't seem so surprised," he murmured, fixing his bowtie.

"Sorry, your just younger than most grandparents."

"_Younger_? I told you I was 907."

"Well I was hardly going to believe you, was I?"

He tilted his head and gave a shrug, "Suppose not."

"So . . . where you married then?"

"I was…"

"What happened? If you don't mind me asking, of course, because this really is _none _of my business."

"No, no it's fine . . . I've been married a few times actually. But it only really mattered once. She died."

"I'm so sorry…was she a timelord?"

"Yes. You would have liked her I think," he smiled.

"You even look kind of like her," he laughed, "with your sticky-outy cheekbones."

I forced a smile and held back tears.

"How did she die?" I croaked in a whisper.

"It doesn't matter. I'll put the film on now then," he rushed. Although he smiled broadly, anyone could tell he was falling apart on the inside.

"Are you all right?"

"Of course I'm all right. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" I pressed.

"I'm the King of Okay. Actually, that's a pretty rubbish title. Forget what I just said."

* * *

Hope you liked it and please leave your comments, theories (?) . . . maybe even your requests?


	8. Chapter 8

I'm so sorry it's been so long since the last chapter but with school it's been hard to find time to write so I just wrote this up. Hopefully I'll be able to get into a routine soon and have updates more regularly and have longer chapter but for now it's just this I'm afraid.

* * *

The next week or so was filled with more and more running and laughing. I was oddly starting to enjoy the running. We did so much and I could just picture the rest of my life being this way. The four of us running from the monsters and having the time of our lives forever. But I knew forever couldn't last. The pictures on the wall. Amy and Rory weren't in any of them. I only looked a few years older which meant Amy and Rory were probably going to get married soon and leave.

I'd miss Amy's feisty personality and Rory's adorable awkwardness a lot, but not enough to cry. How could you possibly cry when you have the universe to see?

For now, I would just enjoy their company while I could.

"So...where are we off to?" I wondered aloud.

"Somewhere sunny," Amy interjected.

"All right..." The Doctor pondered, "How about Rio?"

"Yes!" Amy answered.

"You?" he asked, looking to Rory and I.

"Yeah I don't mind where we go," I replied.

"Do I have a choice?" Rory asked, his eyes on Amy.

She shook her head, smiled and gave him a hug.

Usually couples annoy me but even I had to admit they were extremely cute together. When I thought of their wedding I imagined clouds made of cotton candy with bunny rabbits throwing petals down the isle.

"Rio it is," The Doctor announced, "Wait, when?"

"Well I'd like if we didn't have a plague or a world war on..." Amy hinted.

"So...2010 then?" He had a look of disappointment on his face.

"Perfect." Amy gave him a thumbs up and hopped down the steps, "I'm getting changed."

"Be quick," The Doctor called.

"Now I think I might take my time if that's your attitude," Amy replied from down the hall.

The Doctor turned to Rory.

"Is she always like this?"

"Yes."

The Doctor sighed loudly.

"She's never like this with me," I boasted.

"Yeah well you're a girl; you probably talk about . . . girly things."

"Thanks, Doctor. I hadn't noticed I was a girl before."

"Sorry..."

"What kind of girly things do you think we talk about anyway?" I asked, making air quotes as I said 'girly things'.

"Well_ I don't know_...hair and things."

I rolled my eyes and snickered.

"Oh and_ you_ don't care about your hair? Looks like you put a lot of effort into it to me..."

He slicked it back self-consciously.

"Right. I'm gonna go see if Amy's ready yet," Rory informed and hobbled through the same doorway.

"Be careful," I called.

"Always," he sighed.

"So..." I said awkwardly, "Why Rio?"

"I was watching the film - the one with the birds - it was very good."

"That animated one where the animals wear fruit crowns and things?"

"Yes! It reminded me of -"

"Oh don't tell me there's a planet where animals can talk and they wear fruit crowns..."

"Fine," he stubbornly didn't say anything else.

"There is?"

"You told me not to tell you..."

"You think you're hilarious."

"I _am_ hilarious!"

The seriousness in his tone made me laugh out loud.

"See! I'm funny!"

"Oh don't get cocky."

His eyes bulged from his head.

"Oh shut up you know what I meant!"

Amy and Rory came around the corner and strutted up to the console.

"C'mon get a move on. Are we goin' to Rio or not?" Amy pushed.

* * *

I looked to The Doctor, tears still boiling in my eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I know that couldn't have been an easy thing for you to do. And I just glared at you."

My thoughts hadn't been exactly pleasant either. I couldn't believe he'd just leave Rory there to die.

He didn't respond.

"Are you okay?"

"Would it change anything?"

I paused, "Will Amy ever remember?"

He took a deep breath and loosened his bowtie.

"No. There will be things she can't account for. Pictures, some gifts she never bought..."

"I can't tell if it's better that she doesn't remember or if he deserves to be remembered by her."

"Nobody deserves to be forgotten."

"Yeah. I suppose you're right."

For a minute there was nothing but silence, the Doctor broke it clearing his throat, "Well you should probably head off to bed." He stood up, pushing the chair which made a screeching noise, putting my teeth on edge.

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow." I got up and walked to the stairs, turned and added, "Doctor, just do me one favour: don't blame yourself. Please. It wasn't your fault." I knew he wouldn't respond so I turned back on my heel and ascended the spiral stairs.


	9. Chapter 9

I know it's been ages since the last chapter but I've been really busy with school and really distracted with tumblr. Hopefully I'll be able to get more used to the routine soon.

* * *

"Good evening, does the name Vincent Van Gogh ring a bell?"

"Don't mention that man to me," he answered, turning away and walking back inside in annoyance.

I raised my eyebrow. "What was that about?"

The Doctor shrugged, "I'll try and find out," he turned to the waitresses, "Excuse me. Do you know

Vincent Van Gogh?"

"Unfortunately," one of them replied.

"Unfortunately?" Amy questioned.

"He's drunk, he's mad and he never pays his bills," she explained.

"Good painter, though, eh?" The Doctor pointed out.

There was an chorus of laughter and The Doctor sat at one of the tables in dejection.

The waiter from earlier and a red headed man who could only be one person came out of the restaurant.

"Come on! Come on! One painting for one drink. That's not a bad deal."

Amy and I screamed silently, grinning from ear to ear. The Doctor looked excited too.

"It wouldn't be a bad deal if the painting were any good. I can't hang that up on my walls. It'd scare the customers half to death," the man said, "It's bad enough having you in here in person, let alone looming over the customers day and night in a stupid hat. You pay money or you get out."

"I'll pay if you like," The Doctor offered.

"What?" This man must be blind _and_ deaf.

"Well, if you like. I'll pay for the drink. Or I'll pay for the painting and you can use the money to pay for the drink."

"Exactly who are you?" Vincent asked. Good luck getting a proper answer.

"I'm... new in town."

"Well, in that case, you don't know three things. One, I pay for my own drinks, thank you." The staff burst out laughing but he ignored them, "Two, no-one ever buys any of my paintings or they would be laughed out of town, so if you want to stay in town, I suggest you keep your cash to yourself. And three, your orange-haired friend's cute, but you should keep your big nose out of other people's business."

Amy gave a devilish grin and I bit my lip to try and keep a straight face.

"Come on, just one more drink. I'll pay tomorrow," Vincent begged.

"No."

"Or, on the other hand, slightly more compassionately, yes."

"Or, on the other hand, to protect my business from madmen, no." Guess he's not a waiter after all. Different styles throughout time were hard to get used to. I would have thought we'd need to change into more time-appropriate clothing but apparently not.

"Or-" Vincent began only to be cut off my Amy.

"Oh, look, just shut up the pair of you!" The Doctor and I smiled. Oh, Amy.

"I would like a bottle of wine, please, which I will then share with whomever I choose," she said, turning to Vincent. She was a flirt when she was engaged, I knew she'd be an even bigger one now that Rory never existed.

* * *

"I can't believe we're actually in Vincent Van Gogh's _house._ And we just met him and he's like down the corridor - I just-" I opened my mouth as widely as I could and kept my scream muted.

"It's just so cool. Oh god, I'm turning into _you,_" I giggled.

The Doctor chuckled, "Now that, is cool."

I rolled my eyes and flopped onto the bed I was ultimately going to have to share with Amy. "I'm going to have to go home someday aren't I?" I felt my eyelids drooping.

I wasn't looking at him, but I sensed him tense.

"Yes. Someday. But -you-you can come back. Anytime. You know who to call."

I didn't say anything. My lip quivered.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine," I sniffled.

"Why do you not want to go home? It won't be permanent. Little time there, little time in the TARDIS..."

"I'm just not fond of it there. Or Mrs. Robinson."

"Why do you call her that?"

"I have to."

"But why?"

"Just habit, I suppose. That's what she made me call her and it would feel weird calling her anything else."

"Your life before. What was it like?"

I sighed and there was a pregnant pause. "That's it. My life was a sigh and an awkward pause," I laughed. There was quite a bit of crying too but I didn't want to force him to listen to that.

"I should get Amy. I doubt the world could take a combination of Amy Pond and Vincent Van Gogh. Imagine the hair."

The Doctor breathed loudly, "That's very true."

* * *

"Rise and shine!" The Doctor chimed. I moaned loudly. "Go away."

"Come _on_. We've got to go." He pulled open the curtains and the room burst with light. I bolted upright and hissed.

The Doctor raised his arms in surrender. "Blimey. I knew you weren't human."

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Sorry. I'm not a morning person."

He adjusted his bowtie. "Well, hurry up anyway. We've got to get to the church." He strode out of the room. Amy was already up and out. I dragged myself out of bed and walked to the window. It looked like it was about noon. I quickly changed back into the same clothes as yesterday (what else was I supposed to wear?) and dashed out to the garden.

* * *

"Oh, yes. Glad to be of help. You were nice about my tie."

"Yes. And today is another cracker if I may say so. But I just wondered, between you and me, in 100 words, where do you think Van Gogh rates in the history of art?" The Doctor enquired.

"Well, big question. But, to me, Van Gogh is the finest painter of them all."

Vincent's eyes were red rimmed as tears formed in his eyes.

"Certainly, the most popular, great painter of all time, the most beloved. His command of colour, the most magnificent. He transformed the pain of his tormented life into ecstatic beauty. Pain is easy to portray, but to use your passion and pain to portray the ecstasy and joy and magnificence of our world - no-one had ever done it before. Perhaps no-one ever will again. To my mind, that strange, wild man who roamed the fields of Provence was not only the world's greatest artist, but also one of the greatest men who ever lived," Mr. Black finished.

I suddenly realised I was crying and quickly wiped away the tear from my cheek. This will change history, I thought.

Vincent was crying outwardly and The Doctor went to him.

"Vincent. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Is it too much?" he asked, giving him a comforting hug.

"No. They are tears of joy." Vincent walked to Mr. Black and gave him a big, wet kiss on the cheek,

"Thank you, sir. Thank you," he finished with a hug.

"You're welcome? You're welcome." If he didn't understand art he would probably find Vincent madder than any of the village folk ever did.

"Sorry about the beard," Vincent apologised, remembering Amy's advice from before.

He walked back to us in awe of what he'd just heard. "How can this be? I thought my paintings weren't

any good."

"Yeah well, everyone's wrong someti- sorry- I thought I saw . . . doesn't matter - what I was trying to say is everyone's wrong sometimes. And it just happens that everyone who told you your paintings weren't any good had a big pile of wrong things in their lives." I finished quickly, worrying I was rambling.

We dropped Vincent back home and arrived back to the museum. Amy and I were running up the steps when I noticed that The Doctor didn't seem to be as excited. I stopped as Amy hurried on ahead. "Nothing's changed has it?"

The Doctor bowed his head, "No. I don't think so. His life was too difficult for a future he wouldn't be around for to be worth much. I think he probably realised he'd already painted most of them and well . . ."

Tears welled in my eyes again and he hopped up the next few steps until we were on the same height level and he gave me a comforting hug.

"It's okay, we were responsible for some of his last happy moments - the greatest painter who ever lived - that's something, isn't it?"

I nodded and pulled away. I imagined Amy would react the same way and rushed to catch up but It was too late. She was already in the exhibit. I heard only one sentence but it was enough to know that Amy's heart had broken with those words:

"We have here the last work of Vincent Van Gogh, who committed suicide at only 37."

"So, you were right. No new paintings. We didn't make a difference at all," she said, turning to The Doctor.

"I wouldn't say that. The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. Hey," he embraced her in a hug and continued, _"_The good things don't always soften the bad things. But, vice versa - the bad things don't necessarily spoil the good things or make them unimportant," he released her from the hug and looked her in the eye, "And we definitely added to his pile of good things. And if you look carefully..." he lead her to the painting of the church and I followed by their side. "maybe we did indeed make a couple of little changes."

"No Krafayis."

"No Krafayis," he echoed.

As The Doctor and I examined the painting, Amy made her way to another painting. The Doctor noticed, tapped me on the shoulder and we followed at a distance.

I smiled when I noticed the small scribble on the vase of one of the most famous paintings in existence. "_For Amy_".

The Doctor whistled quietly.

"If we had got married, our kids would have had very, very red hair."

We laughed lightly and he added, "The ultimate ginger."

"The ultimate ginge," she confirmed.

* * *

Please let me know what you think and I'm really curious as to what you think will happen sometime in the story


	10. Chapter 10

**Abbey Who Chapter Ten**

We stepped out of the TARDIS. The sky was dull and there was a smell of smoke.

"Right place?" Amy asked.

"Just followed the co-ordinates on the cliff-face. Earth. Britain," he checked his watch, "1:02am. No, pm. . . No, AD."

"What is it?" I asked.

"That's a Roman Legion," Amy answered surprisingly.

"Well, yeah. The Romans invaded Britain several times during this period," The Doctor stated.

"Oh, I know. My favourite topic at school. Invasion of the hot Italians."

"Serious?" I laughed, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I did get marked down for the title."

Just then a breathless Roman soldier came running to us.

"Hail, Caesar!" he said, saluting with a hand to the chest before kneeling.

"Hi..." The Doctor replied.

"Welcome to Britain. We are honoured by your presence."

"Well, you're only human. Arise... Roman person."

"Why does he think you're Caesar?" Amy asked quietly enough so the soldier wouldn't here.

The soldier rose and a smudge of lipstick was noticeable on his face.

"Cleopatra will see you now."

The soldier turned on his heel and we followed at a short distance.

"How is Cleopatra here - is she a time traveller? Do you _know_ her?" I asked in awe.

"I don't think she is. No. And yes," he answered.

"Then what? Someone's pretending to be her?"

"Yes."

We entered a tent which appeared to be much greater quality than the others even from the outside.

River.

"Hello, sweetie."

"River. Hi," Amy greeted.

"Hi," I echoed.

"You graffitied the oldest cliff-face in the universe." The Doctor wasn't much for small talk with River.

"You wouldn't answer your phone."

I snorted. The only time I'd seen the phone be answered was when Amy picked it up and it rang much more often.

River clapped her hands and the servants at her side left.

She then held out a scroll.

"What's this?" The Doctor asked.

"It's a painting. Your friend Vincent."

The Doctor snatched it and unfolded.

"You know Vincent too?" I wondered.

She just smiled and I went to look at the painting.

"One of his final works. He had visions, didn't he? I thought you ought to know about this one," River said.

"Doctor? Doctor, what is this?" Amy enquired.

"The TARDIS exploding?" I was comforted seeing Amy looked just as confused as I was.

"Why's it exploding?" she asked.

"I assume it's some kind of warning," River guessed.

The Doctor sat down, thinking hard.

"Something's going to happen to the TARDIS?" Amy thought aloud.

"It might not be that literal. Anyway this is where he wanted you. Date and map reference on the door sign, see?" River pointed out.

"Does it have a title?" The Doctor finally spoke.

"The Pandorica Opens."

"The Pandorica? What is it?" asked Amy.

"A box. A cage. A prison. It was built to contain the most feared thing in all the universe."

"That sounds like a story," I commented.

"It is. It's a fairy tale, a legend. It can't be real," The Doctor said in denial.

"If it is real, it's here and it's opening. And it's got something to do with your TARDIS exploding," River said, getting back on track.

"But it's not real?" His tone suggested he was questioning his belief.

"Better safe than sorry," I told him, "Do you have any idea where it might be?" I asked River.

"Hidden, obviously. Buried for centuries. You won't find it on a map," she answered as The Doctor had just unrolled one.

"No. But if you buried the most dangerous thing in the universe, you'd want to remember where you put it."

After a few minutes discovery and discussion we hopped onto horses and started riding towards Stonehendge. I was apprehensive to get on but after I'd relaxed I was having fun.

We arrived at Stonehendge in no time at all and The Doctor immediately started sonicing the pillars.

After mere minutes River had opened a secret, dark and damp passage which ultimately lead to the pandorica.

"There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior. A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world."

"But who is it?" I asked. "A Dalek?" I said it quietly so only The Doctor could hear. As soon as I'd said it another theory came to my mind. I quickly shook it off. Not possible. "Tear down your world". That wasn't The Doctor.

He shook his head, "No. I don't think so . . . I don't know."

"How did it end up in there?" Amy strode over.

"You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it."

The Doctor walked around to the other side of the Pandorica as River handed Amy her torch as she takes out her scanner. The Doctor hadn't let me hold one in case I got hurt. Giving the day to day circumstances his protectiveness was a little pointless.

"I hate good wizards in fairy tales. They always turn out to be him," River shared.

"So what do we do now?" I asked. "Hide it? Destroy it? Because I for one _do not_ want to open it."

The Doctor nodded crookedly in understanding but not promising anything.

"So it's kind of like Pandora's Box, then? Almost the same name," Amy thought.

I'd loved that book as a kid too. I never knew my mum. She sent me to foster care when I was just a baby with a basket of toys and books, one of which was _Pandora's Box_. I still had them at Mrs. Robinson's home. Some of them were too tattered for me to ever read but sentiment kept them hidden under my bed.

"Sorry, what?" The Doctor asked.

"The story. Pandora's Box, with all the worst things in the world in it," she answered, "That was my favourite book when I was a kid."

The Doctor strode worriedly over to Amy.

"What's wrong?"

"Your favourite school topic, your favourite story. Never ignore a coincidence, unless you're busy. In which case, always ignore a coincidence," he said, walking back to the Pandorica.

"So can you open it?" River queried. God I hope not.

"Easily. Anyone can break _into_ a prison, but I'd rather know what I'm going to find first."

"Agreed," I said, accepting that it was going to open no matter what.

"It's already opening," River discovered, "There are layers and layers of security protocols in there, and they're being disabled, one by one. Like it's being unlocked from the inside."

I could feel my pulse race.

"How long do we have?" The Doctor asked.

"Hours at the most."

At that I felt my pulse steady. The Doctor saved the world in 20 minutes and every time we were in danger he'd sort it out in a few hours.

"What kind of security?"

"Everything. Deadlocks, time-stops, matter-lines," River answered him.

"What could need all that?"

"What could get past all that?"

"Think of the fear that went into making this box. What could inspire that level of fear? Hello, you. Have we met?"

"So why would it start to open now?"

"No idea."

"Hmm, and how could Vincent have known about it? He won't even be born for centuries," Amy pointed out. That was a good question. I'd given up on trying to think logically a long time ago.

The Doctor took out the sonic and scanned the pillars.

"_The stones_. These stones are great big transmitters, broadcasting a warning to everyone, everywhere, to every time zone. The Pandorica is opening!"

"Doctor...everyone, everywhere?" River realised the danger instantly. She was amazing,

"Even poor Vincent heard it in his dreams. What's in there, what could justify all this?" The Doctor didn't seem to realise the danger. Or maybe he had expected it already.

"Doctor, everyone?" River persisted.

"Anything that powerful, I'd know about it. Why don't I know?"

"Doctor. You said everyone could hear it. So who else is coming?"

"Oh."

"Oh? Oh, what?" Amy pipped.

I walked to her and said, "The pillars are transmitting _everywhere_, to _everyone_. Daleks, silurians - anyone and everyone couldknow. Some of them are bound to show up..."

Amy's eyes widened in worry.

"Doing it," we heard The Doctor say.

"Doing what?" Amy and I both asked.

"Stonehenge is transmitting, it's been transmitting for a while...so who heard?" River wondered aloud.

"Okay, should be feeding back to you now. River, what's out there? Getting anything?" The Doctor asked her.

"Give me a moment."

"River, quickly, anything?"

River looked shocked at what she was seeing on her scanner, "Around this planet, there are at least 10,000 starships."

"_At least_?" Amy and I chorused again.

"10,000, 100,000, 1 million, I don't know. There's too many readings."

I started pacing in a circle, not really knowing why.

"What kind of starships?" The Doctor asked, panic clear in his tone.

A transmission came through and out rang familiar voices.

_"Maintaining orbit."_

_"I obey. Shield cover compromised on ion sectors."_

"Daleks. Those are Daleks," Amy realised.

_"Scan detects no temporal activity."_

_"Soft grid scan commencing."_

_"Reverse thrust for compensatory stabilisation."_

"_Launch preliminary armaments protocol."_

"Yes, okay. Okay, okay, okay," The Doctor paced, "Dalek fleet. Minimum, 12,000 battleships, armed to the teeth. But we've got surprise on our side! They'll never expect four people to attack 12,000 Dalek battleships, 'cos we'd be killed instantly... So it would be a fairly short surprise. Forget surprise."

"Doctor, Cyber-ships," River saw.

"No, Dalek ships, listen to them, those are Dalek ships," he corrected her.

"Yes. Dalek ships _and_ Cyber-ships," she corrected back.

"Well, we need to start a fight, turn them on each other. It's the Daleks... they're _so_ cross..."

"Sontaran. Four battle-fleets."

"_Sontarans_. Talk about cross, who stole all their handbags?"

"Terileptil, Slitheen, Chelonian, Nestene, Drahvin, Sycorax, Haemo-goth, Zygon, Atraxi, Draconian. They're all here. For the Pandorica."

"What are you?" he said to The Pandorica.

The ground began to shake and he pulled me by the wrist and ran to the stairs, Amy and River following close behind.

Outside was blinding. Millions of ships lighting up and ready for battle.

"What happens now?" It came out in barely a whisper.

"What do we do?" Amy asked, emerging from the tomb.

"Doctor, listen to me! Everything that ever hated you is coming here tonight. You can't win this. You can't even fight it. Doctor, this once, just this one time, please, you have to run," River begged.

"Run where?"

"Fight how?"

The Doctor took out binoculars and looked back the way we came, "The greatest military machine in the history of the universe."

"What is? The Daleks?" Amy was as anxious and confused as I was.

"No, no, no. The Romans."

River had gone to fetch some Romans while The Doctor, Amy and I had gone back to the Pandorica.

"So what's this got to do with the TARDIS?" Amy questioned.

"Nothing, as far as I know," he told her.

"But Vincent's painting... the TARDIS was exploding, is that going to happen?"

"One problem at a time. There's forcefield technology inside this box. If I can enhance the signal, I could extend it all over Stonehenge. Could buy us half an hour."

"What good is half an hour?"

"There are fruit flies live on Hoppledom 6 that live for 20 minutes and they don't even mate for life. There was going to be a point to that. I'll get back to you."

I sighed on the inside and sat down on a rock. It was incredibly uncomfortable but my legs were tired.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Amy take out a small box from her pocket, "So... Are you proposing to someone?" I looked around.

"I'm sorry?" He didn't look at her.

"I found this in your pocket." She was showing him the ring box with her engagement ring. Not that she knew that.

The Doctor looked up, "No. No, no, that's, uh...a memory. A friend of mine, someone I lost."

He reached for it but Amy pulled it away. "Do you mind?" he lulled.

"It's weird, I feel... I dunno... Something."

It felt like my heart was sinking and leaping at the same time. She might remember Rory, but he can't

come back. This isn't a dreamlord hallucination.

Amy snapped the box shut and handed it to him, "So, was she nice, your friend?"

He put the ring in his pocket and went back to working on the Pandorica, then stopped and looked at Amy.

"Remember that night you flew away with me?"

"Of course I do."

"And you asked me why I was taking you and I told you there wasn't a reason. I was lying."

"What, so you did have a reason?"

"Your house."

"My house..."

"It was too big, too many empty rooms. Does it ever bother you, Amy, that your life doesn't make any sense?"

A laser fired, interrupting the conversation I'd rudely been eavesdropping on.

Amy screamed, her and The Doctor both hid and I jumped and quickly ducked behind the rock I'd been sitting on.

I kept low, making sure my head wasn't peeking over the top until I heard The Doctor.

"Look at me, I'm a target!"

I bounced up just long enough to see him run behind a pillar and that the source of the laser was a metal arm. I scrambled for a stone and found sharp jagged pieces of rock beside my knee.

I peeked up from behind the rock and threw it at the arm. It turned to my direction, enabling The Doctor to sneak up behind it. He grabbed it and took out the sonic.

I stood up and stretched.

"Doctor?" Amy stepped forward

"Scrambled its circuits, but stay where you are. It could be bluffing."

"Bluffing? It's an arm!"

"I said stay where you are!"

He stood up and Amy sulkily stepped back.

A look of panic grew in her eyes when she looked up, "Doctor-" and she fell to the ground.

"Amy!" The Doctor lurched forward but the arm released something, rendering him unconscious.

"Doctor!" Amy and I both shout.

I start to run only to feel a sharp tug on my leg and collapse to the ground.

I let out a scream and start kicking at the severed arm with my other foot. I grabbed another stone like the one that I'd thrown at the other arm and forced myself upright (kicking all the way). I heard Amy scream and my heart started to pound faster. Once I was upright it shot a laser, narrowly missing my foot. I grabbed at the arm, holding it to the ground with all my weight. Leaning more with my left arm now, I lifted the right and stabbed the wires with the stone. After the third stab I felt the cyberarm grow weaker and I began cutting through the wires more calmly. The arm finally stopped struggling. I cut through one more as a precaution and stood up, dizzy with adrenaline.

"Amy?" I called out.

I heard the sound of a tinny electric voice and began to run. I froze when I saw a Roman out of the corner of my eye. "Rory?"

He nodded frantically, "Where's Amy?"

I wanted to ask him how he was here but Amy was more important right now.

"Um I heard her over there." I pointed and he dashed over, putting on his helmet as he went.

"Doctor!" we heard Amy shout from inside the closet.

There was a cyberman pounding on the door and Rory effortlessly killed it with a swipe of his sword. This is not the Rory Williams I remember,

The doors swung open.

"Who...? Who are you...?" Amy asked, her eyes on him (although it did look as if she was struggling to keep them open)

He took off his helmet and I could sense his joy. God no...

"Hello, Amy."

No longer able to keep her eyes open, she collapsed into Rory's arms. He lifted her and put her down on the stone table, gently stroking her hair.

"Rory-" I began before another soldier entered the room.

"Sir, the man's coming round."

"Amy?! Where's Amy?" The Doctor frolicked into the room.

"She's fine, Doctor, just unconscious," Rory answered.

"OK..." he checked her with the sonic screwdriver,"

"Yes, she's sedated, that's all. Half an hour, she'll be fine. OK, Romans, good, I was just wishing for Romans, good old River. How many?"

"50 men up top, volunteers. What about that thing?" Rory pointed to the Cyberman.

Any minute now, I thought to myself...

"50? Not exactly a legion."

Rory nodded to the other soldier who proceeded out the doorway.

"Your friend was very persuasive, but it's a tough sell," Rory told The Doctor.

"Yes, I know that, Rory, I'm not exactly one to miss the obvious." Wow. "But we need everything we can get," he pulled three large guns out from a chest."Okay, Cyber-weapons. This is basically a sentry box. So, headless wonder here was a sentry. Probably got himself duffed up by the locals. Never underestimate a Celt."

So I'm getting a gun. Big step up from not being able to hold a torch.

"Doctor..." Rory began.

"Hush, Rory. Why leave a Cyberman on guard? Unless it's a cyberthing in the box. But why would they lock up one of their own? Okay, no, not a cyberthing, but what, what? No, I'm missing something obvious, Rory!," he was now face to face with Rory Something big, something right slap in front of me, I can feel it!"

Five . . .

"Yeah, I think you probably are."

Four . . . three . . .

"I'll get it in a minute."

He strode out of the room. Two . . .

There's a loud clatter as The Doctor re-enters and puts down the guns. Bingo . . .

He walked up to Rory and just stared. He poked Rory in the chest and he gently swayed.

"Hello again..." The Doctor says.

"Hello."

"How've you been?"

"Good. Yeah, good. I mean, Roman."

"Rory, I'm not trying to be rude, but you died."

"Yeah, I know, I was there."

"You died and then you were erased from time. You didn't just die, you were never born at all, you never existed."

"Erased? What does that mean?"

"How can you be here?"

"I don't know. It's kind of fuzzy."

"Fuzzy?"

"Well, I died and turned into a Roman. It's very distracting," he gently ran a hand across Amy's cheek, "Did she miss me?" My stomach sunk.

There was a loud 'whoosh' and a lot of rumbling. We ran out of the room into the main cavern. The symbols on the Pandorica glowing Doctor examined it with the sonic as the rest of us - including the other Roman soldiers - watched.

"What is it? What's happening?" Rory asked.

"The final phase. It's opening."

* * *

_Please let me know what you think_


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